


Three Nights, Three Nightmares

by forkflinger



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Implied Sexual Content, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-10-08 01:34:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17377034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forkflinger/pseuds/forkflinger
Summary: They all have different nightmares.Xion needs to know that they need her. Roxas needs to know it's all real. Axel needs to know they're both still there.(Contains implied/offscreen Axel/Roxas sexual content. Nothing explicit.)





	Three Nights, Three Nightmares

Some of the nightmares were memories. Those were usually the better ones, because at least Xion could wake up and convince herself that it was over. The moment had come and gone, and she was still here.

This one wasn’t. She was surrounded by screams and flames, and two bodies lay before her, mangled and twisted on the ground. And she didn’t want to look, but she knew who they were and she had to look and -

She sat up, gasping. After a few shaky breaths, reality set in. She was alone, in her bed, in her room. It was quiet. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Almost without thinking, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Axel and Roxas were fine, of course. She knew that. It was just a dream. But her heart was pounding and it wouldn’t hurt to check, right?

Quietly, she stepped into the dark hallway. Their room was just a few feet away from her’s. As she reached for the doorknob, she spotted something bright looped around it. It was a hair ribbon, tied around the handle where she couldn’t possibly miss it.

Oh. 

She knew what that meant.

There were plenty of nights that Xion spent in Roxas and Axel’s bed, snuggled securely between them. And then there were other nights when they wanted the bed to themselves. After a few embarrassing near misses and one very awkward conversation, they’d agree on a simple signal: the ribbon currently tied to the door. 

This wasn’t the first time Xion had seen it.There were sounds from the other side of the door, so she knew they were awake, but she also knew what they were doing. She’d be interrupting. For the first time, she considered knocking anyway. Because that has been part of the conversation too. The ribbon wasn’t a hard no; it wasn’t there to keep Xion out. They knew Xion needed them sometimes, just like they needed her and each other. It had been kind of weird to hear them say it out loud, for them to all sit around the table and just _say_ it. But it had been important, for moments just like this.

So she closed her eyes, took a breath, and knocked.

The sounds from the other side of the door stopped. Xion waited until the door opened halfway, illuminating the hallway, and Axel poked his head out.

“Hey,” he said, out of breath. His hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, with a few errant strands hanging out around his face, and his shoulders and chest were bare. Before Xion could even say anything, he frowned down at her. “Bad dream?” he asked. “Or just can’t sleep?”

“Bad dream,” she answered, looking down at her feet. 

“Shit. Yeah, alright.” Axel looked back over his shoulder, beyond where she could see. “Just, uh, just one sec - “

She couldn’t help but notice Axel was wearing nothing but his boxers. “I’m sorry,” Xion muttered, taking a step back. “I shouldn’t - I’ll just go - “

“What?” Axel turned back toward her. “Hey, no.” He pushed the door open a little wider so he could lean down and wrap his arms around her. The sudden gesture caught Xion off guard and she started sniffling. “You’re okay,” Axel said, pulling her close. “It’s okay. C’mon. Just hang on - “ He glanced away one more time, then swung the door open and gently guided Xion inside.

Roxas was kneeling on the bed, straightening the blankets. His face was bright pink, and his hair was a hopeless tangled mess, but at least he was wearing pajamas. Rumpled, backwards pajamas. As Xion entered, he tugged down on the hem of his t-shirt and scooted to the edge of the bed. “Hey,” he said, “you okay?”

Xion nodded. “I just, uh.” Her voice cracked. “Just a bad dream.”

Roxas reached out and Xion stepped into his arms. He pulled her close, stroking her hair. “You wanna talk about it?” he asked softly.

Xion shook her head, but found herself speaking anyway. “You were… you both - “ She cut herself off by burying her face in Roxas’s shoulder. After a moment, she felt Axel’s weight on the bed next to her, and a hand on her back.

“We’re right here,” he said, rubbing a gentle circle. “We’re okay. We’re all okay.”

“I know.” She sniffled. “It’s silly. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Axel kissed the back of her head. “It’s okay.”

“You’re safe,” added Roxas. “We’re all safe now.” They’d done this before for each other, often enough to figure out what to say. Xion just needed to hear: “We’re safe, and we’re together, and none of us are going anywhere.”

“Oh, definitely,” said Axel, reaching around to squeeze her and Roxas. “You’re stuck with us.”

Xion smiled, just a little. “I know,” she said. They sat there together for a few minutes, just holding each other. Finally, when the tears dried up, Xion shook herself free and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

“I, uh.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry about, uh - “

“Nah,” Axel interrupted, draping an arm around her shoulder. “We talked about this, right? We’re not gonna ignore you just because we’re, uh. Y’know.” He cleared his throat. “Busy.”

Roxas rolled his eyes and took Xion’s hand. “What he means,” he said, shaking his head, “is that we don’t want you to feel like you’re bothering us. Because we love you, Xion.”

“Yeah. What he said.” Axel rested his head against hers. “We love you.”

Fresh tears threatened to start, but Xion held them back. “I love you too,” she answered, squeezing Roxas’s hand and leaning against Axel.

“Good. That’s settled.” Axel pushed her off gently and stood up. “C’mon, let’s get some sleep.”

Xion nodded and let Roxas guide her into a comfortable position lying on the bed. He pulled the blankets up over both of them, holding Xion to his chest as she settled in. Axel stepped into a discarded pair of pajama pants, tugging them up past his boxers, before slipping into bed on the other side and pressing up against her back.

“Lights off?” he asked.

Xion nodded.

Axel reached out and flicked off the bedside lamp, filling the room with warm darkness. He draped one arm across her, long enough to reach Roxas on the other side. “G’night,” he mumbled into her hair.

“Good night,” Xion answered, snuggling into Roxas’s chest. Then, after a minute, she wrinkled her nose. “It stinks in here,” she said.

Roxas dissolved into a fit of giggles as Axel fumbled for a spare pillow and thwacked her with it. “You saw the ribbon, you knew what you were getting into,” he said.

Xion grinned against Roxas’s chest, huddling closer to protect herself from the attack. “I’m just saying.”

Axel tossed the pillow away and resumed his previous position. “You little ingrate. Why do I put up with this?”

“Because you love her?” Roxas supplied.

Axel sighed. “Yeah, yeah. Everybody shut up and go to sleep.”

Xion closed her eyes, surrounded by warmth, and drifted off.

 

\----------

 

Roxas was awake. Whether he’d just woken up, or never fallen asleep in the first place, didn’t matter. He was awake now. He stared at the ceiling.

Something was lying next to him, warm and heavy. He tried not to look at it. It wasn’t real. He’d be better off ignoring it; it would just remind him of what he’d lost. He slipped out from under the blankets, careful not to disturb the thing snoring gently in the bed, and crept out of the room.

This small apartment was familiar, but of course it would be. It had surely been woven from some buried memory, maybe not even his own. He knew the layout well enough. His feet took him down the hall and out into the living room, around an overstuffed couch, to a window overlooking a dark city. How far did this illusion stretch? If he opened the window and reached out, what would he feel? Before, they hadn’t been willing to stretch his cage out to include a beach. He had no reason to assume they’d given him anything more than this room this time.

He stared through the glass, inspecting the scene. It looked real. That didn’t mean anything. It always looked real. He placed a hand flat against the glass. It was cool against his palm. 

He ignored a sound behind him. Just another lie. Part of the illusion, designed to placate him or torture him. It didn’t really matter. 

The sound approached. A hand rested on his shoulder. 

“Roxas?”

He couldn’t help himself; he turned to look. Behind him stood a specter wearing the familiar face of someone he’d lost. The thing that looked like Xion looked at him and opened its mouth. “Are you okay?”

Roxas gazed at it, waiting for it to flicker and fade. “I miss Xion,” he mumbled, thinking out loud.

“Miss me? I’m right - “ It stopped and frowned. “Oh, Roxas. Where do you think you are?”

Roxas looked around at the shadowy apartment. “I don’t know.”

The thing that looked like Xion sighed and shook its head. “You’re at home, Roxas,” it said. “You live here, with me and Axel.”

Roxas just barely shook his head, but didn’t bother arguing. The thing squeezed his arm. “I’m going to turn on a light,” it said, pulling away and reaching for a lamp. “Close your eyes.”

Roxas didn’t. The light stung for a moment. Now he could see the room more clearly, and yes, he was sure he’d been here before. He’d been safe here, once. Whatever force was keeping him here had done well. 

In the light, the thing that looked like Xion was even more convincing. Its eyes sparkled in the exact right shade of blue. It reached for his hand. “Come on,” it said, tugging him away from the window. “We’re going to go over to the table.”

Roxas allowed himself to be pulled into the kitchen area. The thing that looked like Xion guided him into a chair in front of a worn wooden table. “Wait here,” it said. 

Roxas found himself staring at a scratch in the table surface. Idly, he ran one finger over it, feeling the tiny change in texture. The edges had been smoothed as if he’d rubbed it before, wearing down the wood. He snagged a fingernail on the grain, just for a second, before pressing the pad of his finger against it again. 

In the periphery of his vision, there was movement. Something slipped across the table toward him. It eventually nudged his finger, hiding the scratch and forcing itself into his vision. It was a mug. He rested his fingertip against it. It was warm. 

“Roxas.” The thing that looked like Xion laid a hand on his wrist. “Hey. You’re safe here, okay? You’re safe.”

Roxas nodded, but didn’t look up. The mug was dark blue. A chip on the lip revealed a speck of bright white. A string dangled over the edge, and he twirled it between his fingers. He took a breath. Something picked at the edge of his mind.

“You’re safe,” the thing repeated. “You’re Roxas. I’m Xion. This is real. You’re really here, and so am I.” It patted him on the hand and pushed the mug closer toward him. “Do you remember? We live here.”

He followed the string up over the edge of the mug and watched it dip down into a dark, clear liquid. He took another breath and caught a whiff of something that tingled his nose.

“We’re in Twilight Town,” the thing continued. “You and me and Axel. We’re all here. This is our apartment.”

“Axel.” Roxas dipped a fingertip into the liquid; it was almost painfully hot against his skin. “I miss Axel too.”

“Axel’s here,” the thing said. “He’s asleep. He’s in your room.”

Roxas thought back to the thing in the bed and shook his head. It wasn’t real. He wouldn’t be fooled. “Axel’s gone,” he stated. “Xion’s gone too. Everyone’s gone.”

“I’m here,” the thing answered. “I came back. You did too. We’re really here, Roxas.”

It was repeating itself now. Maybe he wasn’t supposed to be questioning it so much, or maybe it was just trying to convince him. He took another breath. He could almost identify the smell, now. It was familiar. 

Another sound came from behind him. “Roxas? Xion? What’s going on?”

Roxas wrapped his hands around the mug and fought the urge to look. It sounded so real.

“He’s - “ The thing that looked like Xion lifted its hand and waved it toward Roxas. “He’s not here.”

“Aw. Geez.” More sounds, more movement in his periphery, and another something was on his other side. Roxas didn’t want to look at it. He knew what it would look like.

“Hey,” it said with Axel’s voice. “Roxas. Hey. It’s Axel.”

Roxas shook his head. “Axel’s gone,” he mumbled. 

The thing laughed. “News to me,” it said. “Could’ve sworn I was sitting right here.”

Roxas squeezed the mug hard. Peppermint, that was the smell. Peppermint tea. He’d had that before. Xion had made it for him on sleepless nights. He never drank it, but it was warm and the smell - 

It smelled real. 

Roxas blinked, shook his head, and looked up. There were Xion and Axel, seated on either side of him, looking at him closely. He frowned. “Wha… Huh?”

“There he is.” Axel reached out and wrapped an arm around Roxas’s shoulder. “Welcome back.” His weight felt so real. His hair brushed against Roxas’s cheek as he leaned in and pressed his lips against his forehead. 

“Was I…” Roxas was very tired. He clutched at the mug, letting its warm soak through his fingers. “This is… you’re here?”

“We’re here,” confirmed Xion, scooting her chair closer. She leaned in to inspect his face and smiled. “It’s okay, Roxas.”

“I thought…” There were tears in his eyes, and he wasn’t sure when they’d gotten there. “It didn’t feel - “

“Shh.” Axel stroked his hair and pulled him into a hug. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

“It didn’t feel real,” Roxas insisted. Xion leaned against him on the other side and yes, she was solid. “I thought it was…”

“Nope. Not this time.” Axel’s hand rubbed Roxas’s back. “Never again.”

Roxas nodded. “Okay.”

“Good.” Axel squeezed him, then released. “C’mon, drink your tea.”

Roxas pulled the mug close and took a deep breath. The smell grounded him, stringent and real. He lifted the mug, took a sip, and grimaced. “I don’t like peppermint tea.”

Axel grinned. “You never do.”

“It’s the smell,” said Xion, snatching the mug. “Peppermint is good for memory. Also, it is tasty and you are just wrong.”

“You drink it, then,” responded Axel. 

“Maybe I will!”

Roxas smiled as they bickered. He just listened, taking deep breaths and leaning against Axel. They sat there together until Xion noticed Roxas’s eyelids drooping and nudged Axel. 

“Back to bed?” she said.

Roxas nodded. “Yeah.”

Axel stood up and half-carried Roxas back to the bedroom. Xion trailed after them, flicking off the lights behind them. There was no discussion necessary for her to climb into bed, pressed against Roxas’s back. Axel let Roxas’s head rest on his arm, and draped the other one over his waist.

They were real. This room was real; this bed was real. Axel and Xion were real. Roxas was real. 

As Roxas drifted back to sleep, he knew for sure that he wasn’t alone.

 

\----------

 

Axel never remembered the actual nightmares, not even vaguely. All that remained when he jerked awake was the sickeningly familiar sensation that he’d lost something very, very important. His heart pounded in his chest, somehow still unfamiliar enough to be unsettling. They were gone. They were gone. They were -

They weren’t gone. He knew that. They were fine. He knew it, but the ache in the pit of his stomach didn’t agree. They were gone and he’d lost them, and it was his fault, and -

Something stirred at his side, and he almost sobbed when he looked down and caught a glimpse of blonde hair. He reached out, terrified - and his hand collided with skin. Axel tightened his grip, fingers wrapped around Roxas’s forearm - Roxas was here, Roxas was safe, he _knew_ this. 

Roxas grumbled and peered up at him through half open eyes. “Axel?” he said in a low voice. “What’s going on?”

Axel couldn’t say anything, but apparently his wide eyes were expressive enough. Roxas sat up, laying his hand over Axel’s. “Hey,” he said, “it’s okay. I’m right here.”

Axel nodded. Then, still unable to speak, he leaned forward and pressed his head against Roxas’s shoulder. Roxas wrapped his free arm around Axel as he took ragged breaths. “I’m right here,” he murmured, fingers gently twined in Axel’s hair. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Axel did not release his grip on Roxas’s arm, but he reached his other arm around his waist and pulled him as close as he could. Gradually, the sound of Roxas’s voice and the solidity of his body slowed his breathing from desperate to just labored. His heart still beat against his rib cage hard enough he was sure he’d be able to see it, but he wasn’t gasping anymore, and that was an improvement. 

Roxas was here. Roxas was fine. Roxas. 

Xion.

Axel jerked his head up and glanced around the room, wild-eyed. Roxas reached up and placed his hand against his cheek.

“Xion’s fine too,” he said. “Do you want to see her?”

Axel stared down at Roxas. Words, there were words to use here, he should open his mouth and say words. But he couldn’t think of any, and he was pretty sure that if he opened his mouth all that would come out would be a scream. He could nod, though. At least he could do that.

“Okay.” Roxas pried Axel’s fingers off his arm and guided them down to grab his hand instead. “Come on.” He rolled off the bed and Axel had to follow or risk losing his grip and losing Roxas. He couldn’t do that, so he allowed himself to be led by the hand out of the bedroom and into the hall.

Xion’s room was about the same size as theirs, but her bed was smaller so it seemed more spacious. Axel bit his lip as he spotted a motionless bundle of blankets. Roxas squeezed his hand gently as they crossed the room, picking their way past dirty laundry littering the floor. 

“Xion,” Roxas whispered as they reached the bedside. “Xion, wake up.”

The bundle of blankets rolled over and there was Xion, eyes still closed, safe and warm and here. Axel rested his hand on the swell of blankets, feeling her warmth seeping up through the sheets.

She opened her eyes. “Mmm… Axel?”

He did sob, then, as he fell to his knees next to the bed. Xion blinked heavily and reached out both arms. “C’mere,” she said.

Axel leaned forward, his face pressed against the blankets. His tears formed little wet spots as she hugged him. One arm trailed backward, still clutching Roxas’s hand.

After a moment Xion started to fall back, but Axel caught her hand. She looked at him, then flipped the blanket down. “C’mon,” she murmured, scooting back to make room. “C’mere.”

The bed was too small for three people but Axel climbed in anyway, with Roxas right behind him. Xion curled up, lying halfway on Axel’s chest, having barely woken up at all. Axel felt his heart start to settle under her weight; his fingers were still intertwined with Roxas’s as he lay down on his other side.

“We’re right here,” Roxas whispered, squeezing his hand. “We’re safe, and we’re not going anywhere.”

Axel took a deep shuddering breath and finally found his voice. “Okay,” he said. Roxas hummed happily before nestling up against Axel to fall asleep. Axel lay there between them, listening to their breathing, feeling heartbeats. And eventually, he closed his eyes again.


End file.
